Monday, May 6, 2019

Monday Reading - Wow! Books!

I reviewed A Suitcase of Seaweed by Janet Wong last Poetry Friday here. It is a wonderful new poetry book for all ages, but teachers especially will love sharing and using it in their classrooms.

If you want a book to help with empathy for the lives that some immigrants live, this book by Mariana Llanos is one to add to your collection. Out only last month, thanks to Penny Candy books for this story, one of the immigrants who had to return to their home country. This particular time they moved into a grandmother's small home. It is heart-breaking to read and see. Grandmother shares what she has, but it is little. The children are American, the story told by Luca, a young boy, who shows his sadness through the book. He will miss his friends, asks where will they sleep? He laments" "But I can't even speak Spanish! How will I make friends?" The illustrations by Anna Lopez Real focus most on Luca and his loving parents using muted colors. One additional wonderful thing about this story is that it's bilingual, giving many a chance to experience the story without a struggle in the language.

OUT TODAY! I've never had the exciting experience of going on safari, but one that I have had is to work for one week in my state, SW Colorado, learning about and helping with a bird count of Sandhill Cranes, one experience that still inspires me to help in the area of the plight of cranes on earth, especially those Sandhill Cranes. Thanks to PR by The Book for the copy of this brand new book!

I connected with this young girl, Kate, an 8-year-old from Austin, Texas, who has written a book with the help of her wildlife guide, Michelle, when she went on safari in Southern African. She, too, was inspired to do more than show concern about those animals who are in danger for various reasons. What an amazing journey she had in Africa, but has continued a second journey to publication, to further her concern through writing.

From the landing in a small plane and seeing a giraffe and her baby at the end of the runway, to the first trip down dusty, bumpy roads in a 4x4, new learning happens. Kate tells her story, photos included, and on the following page, additional explanation is given by Michelle. For example, the first page shows the lodge where they'll stay and the road they'll travel. In the next page, Michelle explains what is meant by the "African Bush"? Needed topics are covered as the group travels, from what happens at night, animal relationships like between lions and hyenas (not good), and how to tell fresh scat from older (whether an animal is near or far away). As days pass, each day's events make one want to know what else is going to happen. Actual photographs fit the page's text of gorgeous animals like hippos and cheetahs, lions and elephants.

The book also shares practical things that young people can do to help protect wild animals. In addition, the work of some international wildlife conservation organizations are introduced, like the Jane Goodall Institute that has the Roots & Shoots Program for youth. The profits from the book sale will be matched and passed on to organizations that fight to protect animals in the wild. If a class or an individual child is interested in beginning a project to help, this is a perfect book to inspire the start.

A favorite photo of Kate writing.

Shauna LaVoy Reynolds tells of Sylvia, a bit of a lonely girl who finds solace when she visits her favorite tree, a birch tree. She is so inspired at the beginning of the story when she's walked her dog, Shel, to the park, she writes and leaves a poem for the tree. The very next day, there is another poem. The tree has written back! At school, she daydreams and when the teacher tells her to pay attention, it's embarrassing, also because Walt, a boy in the class, says "Yeah, Sylvia". Poetry fills this story up with dreamy, heartfelt lines, and a surprise of rhyme. It's perfect for reading aloud, an inspiration for poets who want to write to their favorite "poetree". Shahrzad Maydani's springlike watercolors set the stage, too, for the poetry and she adds a few hints along the way for the surprise at the end.

Remember Pool? In Door, JiHyeon Lee has offered another imagined adventure to love. A boy finds a key, perhaps left by an insect, who leads him on, to a door! What happens then, after he's walked by many unhappy-looking people, is special. But you'll have to find the book to experience it and then discuss it to see what others say about it.

Carl is a worm and as he peeked out from his under-earth tunnels, a wee mouse asks "Why?" Why does he do the work he does? Carl journeys on above ground, asking all he meets, a rabbit, a fox, and on. They can only answer what they do. At the end of his journey, the earth is hard-packed; the animals have moved elsewhere. Carl begins again, burrowing, tunneling, digesting, casting. He creates anew, his job. Freedman's watercolors fit the nature story beautifully. She has added a brief author's note asking what we readers do to help the earth.

It's hard to resist a new moon book, especially by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple and illustrated by Matt Phelan. This beautifully crafted story of a boy in love with the moon and sorry it could be sad sends his kite with a note. He promises to come some day for a visit. Matt Phelan's illustrations with inked outlining focus on the important moments, the boy writing the note, the kite's tail floating up, the moon watching the boy at his desk, learning. It's a beautiful book for this, the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing and dedicated to Neil Armstrong.

What's Next: I am finishing another adult book and will start The Benefits of Being An Octopus by Ann Braden.

I also finished The President's Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families by Adrian Miller. Review here on Goodreads.

Thanks, Myra. It would be wonderful to share Carl and The Meaning of Life and Poetree with a young class. They will inspire good conversations. Luca's Bridge is very special, perhaps for all ages middle grade, but it, too, will educate and start some good thinking and talk.

I'm looking forward to reading both Poetree and Carl and the Meaning of Life. It's great to be able to add another title to great books for Earth Day, too, with Carl. And how exciting it must be to publish a book at the age of 8. WAY TO GO, KATE!! Thanks for all these great shares, Linda!